Vermont may offer some of the best opportunities for a winter investment property, according to new rankings released by Vacasa, a U.S. vacation rental management company. The firm identified the best places to buy a vacation home in 2019, factoring in aggregate cap rates and the ratio of a property’s net operating income over its cost.
“Those that made the list this year have an almost built-in guest population, as they’re situated just a short drive from highly populated residential markets and draw plenty of visitors from the surrounding area,” Vacasa researchers note in the study. “And while winter activities bring many travelers to these destinations, the summer offers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and more that keep vacation homes booked when the snow melts.”
The 8 best places to buy a winter vacation home in 2019, according to Vacasa, are:
Continue…https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/12/09/top-8-destinations-for-winter-vacation-home-buyers

The weather may be getting chillier in many parts of the country, but that hasn’t deterred potential home buyers from touring homes for sale. Buyer traffic in October saw an uptick in all four major regions of the U.S. and also marked the first annual increase fir the month since 2017, according to the latest ShowingTime Showing Index report.
Overall, buyer traffic increased 5.5% year over year in October, the largest increase since March 2018. The South region saw the biggest uptick with a 10.8% year-over-year increase, ShowingTime’s data showed.
Continue…https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/12/06/buyer-traffic-remains-high-this-fall

Over the past year, mortgage interest rates have dropped more than 1 percentage point, creating a rush to refinance. But homeowners in some states are having better luck at refinancing their mortgage and locking in a lower monthly payment on their mortgage.
Overall, about 75% of mortgage refinance applications are approved nationally.
Home value appreciation and credit scores matter most when it comes to refinance approvals, researchers at LendingTree note. They analyzed more than 10 million mortgage refinance approvals by state and compared those rates to home-price appreciation and average credit scores.
Continue… https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/12/04/these-states-have-the-lowest-mortgage-refinance-rates

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which capped federal deductions for state and local taxes at $10,000 a year and modified the mortgage interest deduction, has had a sweeping impact on real estate. How much so varies geographically, with owners in low-tax states feeling less financial pressure from the loss of deductions than those in counties with high taxes and home prices. Additionally, the increased standard deduction has lowered the number of households that can claim a tax incentive for owning or buying a home from about one in three to less than one in ten, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
Continue…https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/12/02/how-has-the-2017-tax-overhaul-impacted-home-prices

More than 17,000 feet above sea level in the Peruvian Andes rises the mountain peak of Vinicunca. Until recently, when a road was built through this remote region of southeastern Peru, it took hikers six days to reach the mountain. Plenty made the trek despite the effort, and we can see the draw: Vinicunca is also known as ‘Rainbow Mountain’ for good reason. Weathered minerals of varying hues stripe the hillsides in wide brushstrokes. The slopes are painted in tones of red, yellow, green, and bright blue, with the colors changing intensity depending on the time of day or pattern of cloud cover.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=vinicunca+peru&FORM=wsbs01&filters=IsConversation:%22True%22+BTEPKey:%22Encyclo_WL_VinicuncaPitumarcaPeru%22&trivia=1

HEART MATTERS

More than a magazine: information, inspiration and support

HOW TO BEAT THE COLD

8 wise ways to keep the heat in

Follow these simple tips to keep warm and safe this winter.

1. Wrap up warm

Dress in layers and wear a hat, gloves and scarf. Clothes made from wool, cotton or fleecy fabrics are warmest. When you’re indoors, wear warm socks and slippers to keep your feet cosy.

2. Keep the cold out 

Close doors and use a keyhole cover to block draughts. Buy thermal linings for curtains to keep the heat in.

3. Don’t use alcohol to keep warm

Avoid drinking alcohol before going, or when, outside. It makes you feel warm because blood vessels in the skin expand, but this draws heat away from your vital organs.

• Read about the effects of alcohol on your heart

4. Check your heating

Have your heating system serviced regularly to make sure it works well.

5. Maintain the temperature

Keep your main living room at 18–21°C (64–70°F) and the rest of your house at 16°C (61°F) at least. If you can’t heat all the rooms you use, heat the living room during the day and the bedroom just before you go to sleep. In bed, use either a hot water bottle or an electric blanket.

6. Have warming food and drinks

Have regular hot drinks and food such as porridge, soups and stews. Visit our recipe finder to get more ideas for warming, healthy dishes.

• Try our 14 delicious heart-healthy porridge ideas 
• Read our 5 top tips for healthy eating this winter

7. Stay active

Keep as active as possible to boost your circulation. Move around at least once an hour and avoid sitting still for long periods. Even light exercise will help keep you warm. When you do sit down, put your feet up as it’s coldest nearest the ground.

• Read about how to get active indoors
• Try our rainy-day desk yoga

8. Check what support you can get 

Don’t miss out on benefits. Depending on your circumstances you may get the Winter Fuel or Cold Weather Payments automatically. If you don’t, visit gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment or call 03459 15 15 15 to see if you’re eligible.

You may also be entitled to claim an Affordable Warmth Grant, which could help with heating and insulation improvements. For more information, call the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234 or visit gov.uk/energy-company-obligation.

• Read more about how to beat the cold

Despite some economic headwinds, U.S. commercial real estate could be on track to have a stellar 2020, according to a new report from CBRE, a commercial real estate servicer and investment firm. CBRE predicts “one of the strongest years on record” for the commercial real estate industry.
The sector could see between $478 billion and $502 billion in investments in 2020. That would put it on par with the prior two years, outpacing previous years.
The prediction includes money that would go toward multifamily housing, retail, data centers, office space, industrial buildings, and more.
Continue… https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/11/26/could-2020-be-record-breaking-year-for-commercial-real-estate

After years of escalating home prices, 81% of major U.S. metros have become more affordable this year, according to a new realtor.com® study. “Mortgage rates are much lower than they were, and incomes have actually grown this year for most Americans,” says George Ratiu, realtor.com®’s senior economist. “Those two things combined have led to an improvement in affordability for home buyers.”
Affordability is rising the most in mid-sized cities, particularly in the Midwest and South. The areas tend to have strong economies and job markets and a large supply of homes on the market, realtor.com® reports. Researchers evaluated home prices and local household income in the 100 largest metro areas for the third quarter of this year. They calculated an affordability score for each metro.
Continue…https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/11/25/study-most-cities-have-become-more-affordable-this-year

Generation Z, which comprises the youngest potential consumers in the housing market, is bullish on homeownership. Freddie Mac researchers conducted a survey of consumers ages 14 to 23 and found they tend to have more positive perceptions of what it means to be a homeowner than millennials did at that same age. Eighty-six percent of Gen Zers say they want to own a home someday.
They also hope to purchase sooner in their lives than millennials did. Gen Z survey respondents say they plan to own a home by the time they turn 30, which is three years younger than the current median age of first-time buyers. The homeownership desires of Gen Z center on having more privacy, control, and independence than renting offers, Freddie Mac’s research shows. They also feel like homeownership is a sign of success, something to be proud of, and provides stability as well as financial security, the survey shows.
Continue…https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/11/22/gen-z-may-value-ownership-more-than-millennials-do

Do you love Lake Vermilion and snowmobiling? Imagine owning your own piece of heaven on Niles Bay:
https://s.paragonrels.com/goto/PlTdV
Call Patti Stoddard 218-929-3214 for a private showing.